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P&O Cruises Australia, a British-American-owned cruise line, has been operating for over 90 years. It originated from the passenger division of the P&O, a UK shipping company that operated the world's first passenger ships in the early 19th century. P&O was the first company to operate passenger routes to Australia. In 2025, P&O Cruises Australia was absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line, and its fleet of ships was rebranded. So, how many ships did P&O Australia have before it ceased operations?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of ships | 3 |
| Fleet capacity | 9,000 guests |
| Headquarters | Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia |
| Parent company | Carnival Australia |
| Brands | P&O Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises World Cruising, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn |
| First ship | Strathaird |
| Year of first departure | 1932 |
| Current ships | Pacific Adventure, Pacific Encounter, Pacific Explorer |
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What You'll Learn
P&O Cruises Australia's fleet size
P&O Cruises Australia was a British-American-owned cruise line with operational headquarters as part of Carnival Australia. It was one of the oldest cruise lines in the world, with a history dating back to the world's first cruise ships.
In March 2025, P&O Cruises Australia was absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line, bringing an end to its Australian operations, which had been running for over 90 years.
At the time of its closure, P&O Cruises Australia had a fleet of three ships: Pacific Adventure, Pacific Encounter, and Pacific Explorer. These ships sailed from various ports in Australia and New Zealand.
Pacific Adventure, which joined the fleet in October 2020, offered a passenger capacity of 3,100. Pacific Encounter was added to the fleet in late 2021, replacing Pacific Jewel. Pacific Explorer, which was added to the fleet in 2017, featured waterslides, diverse dining options, and modern Australian design.
Prior to its closure, P&O Cruises Australia had a rich history in the cruise industry. In the 1980s, the company sustained its operations in Australia with the Oriana. In 1988, P&O Group purchased Sitmar Cruises, and Fairstar became the company's first ship to be permanently based in Australia. In 2001, Princess Cruises' Sky Princess was redeployed to Australia as Pacific Sky, and in 2004, Pacific Sun joined the fleet.
Despite its long history and contribution to the Australian economy, P&O Cruises Australia faced controversy during the COVID-19 pandemic when the New South Wales Police Force ordered Pacific Explorer to leave Australian waters in April 2020 due to concerns about potential coronavirus cases.
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Carnival Cruise Line acquisition
P&O Cruises Australia was a British-American-owned cruise line with operational headquarters as part of Carnival Australia, based in Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia. It was bought by Carnival in 2003. P&O Cruises Australia was previously a sister company of P&O Cruises in the United Kingdom and was a constituent of P&O, which operated the world's first passenger ships in the early 19th century.
In June 2024, Carnival Corporation announced that it would be absorbing P&O Cruises Australia into Carnival Cruise Line from March 2025 onwards. This move was part of a series of strategic decisions to increase guest capacity for Carnival Cruise Line, the company's flagship brand, and the highest-returning brand in Carnival Corporation's global portfolio.
The absorption of P&O Cruises Australia into Carnival Cruise Line would result in a capacity increase of around 35% for Carnival Cruise Line, up from 29% in 2019. This realignment would also strengthen the company's performance in the South Pacific by creating operational efficiencies.
The retirement of the P&O Cruises Australia brand would result in the addition of eight new ships to Carnival Cruise Line's fleet since 2021, including the transfer of three vessels from sister brand Costa Cruises. The Pacific Encounter and Pacific Adventure ships were rebranded and sailed under Carnival Cruise Line, while Pacific Explorer left the fleet in February 2025.
Following the transition, Carnival Cruise Line had four ships in the market, including Carnival Splendor and Carnival Luminosa sailing seasonally from Brisbane, in addition to their new sister ships, Encounter and Adventure.
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Environmental concerns
P&O Cruises Australia has had a long history of operations, with its first departure on Strathaird in 1932. Over the years, it has been a part of various groups and brands, including Carnival Australia, and has sailed to numerous destinations in Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
The cruise industry, including P&O Cruises Australia, has faced scrutiny for its environmental practices. Friends of the Earth's Cruise Ship Report Card ranks major cruise lines and their ships according to specific environmental criteria: Sewage Treatment, Air Pollution Reduction, Water Quality/Scrubber Use, and Transparency.
Sewage Treatment:
The report card evaluates the installation of advanced sewage treatment systems (AWTS) on cruise ships. While these systems are designed to treat sewage effectively, the lack of public reporting on their performance has led to a downgrade in the grading of ships with AWTS from As to Cs since 2020.
Air Pollution Reduction:
To assess air pollution reduction efforts, the report card considers ships that utilize shoreside power hookups when docked and those that consistently use low sulfur fuels worldwide, even at levels lower than international law mandates. However, the adoption of liquified natural gas as fuel results in a downgrade, as it emits significantly more greenhouse gas emissions over the short term compared to low sulfur fuel.
Water Quality/Scrubber Use:
The use of exhaust gas scrubbers is a concern due to their impact on water quality. While scrubbers can reduce smoke-stack emissions and help comply with cleaner fuel rules, they often discharge contaminated, toxic wastewater, converting air pollution into water pollution. Five P&O ships have exhaust gas scrubbers installed, contributing to water pollution concerns.
Transparency:
P&O Cruises was given an ""F" for transparency due to their lack of response to inquiries about their environmental practices. This lack of transparency makes it challenging to fully assess and address the environmental impact of their operations.
The environmental concerns regarding P&O Cruises Australia highlight the need for increased transparency and sustainable practices in the cruise industry. While P&O Cruises Australia has since been absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line, it is essential for Carnival to address these environmental issues and work towards more eco-friendly operations.
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P&O's Australian history
P&O Cruises Australia was a British-American-owned cruise line with operational headquarters as part of Carnival Australia, based in Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia. It was originally a sister company of P&O Cruises in the United Kingdom and had a direct link to the world's first cruise ships, making it one of the oldest cruise lines in the world.
P&O's Australian operations have a rich history dating back over 90 years. The company first began operating in Australia in 1932 with the Strathaird, and in the 1980s, the Oriana helped sustain its operations in the country. In 1988, P&O Group purchased Sitmar Cruises, and Fairstar became the company's first ship to be permanently based in Australia. She sailed for P&O for nine years until she was replaced by Fair Princess in 1997.
In 2000, P&O Group underwent various organizational changes, which led to the de-merger of its cruise ship operations. As a result, the Australian operations of P&O Cruises were spun off into a separate cruise line, P&O Cruises Australia. P&O Princess Cruises was formed as an independent company, consisting of P&O Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia, Princess Cruises, AIDA Cruises, and later, A'Rosa Cruises and Ocean Village.
Over the years, P&O Cruises Australia expanded its fleet by acquiring ships from other companies. In 2001, Princess Cruises' Sky Princess became the first modern ship in the fleet, followed by Pacific Sun in 2004 and Pacific Star in 2005. In 2006, Pacific Sky was sold to Pullmantur Cruises, and in 2007, the oldest ship in Princess Cruises' fleet, Regal Princess, was transferred to P&O and renamed Pacific Dawn.
In 2015, Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden joined the fleet, and in 2017, P&O Cruises welcomed the Pacific Explorer. The company continued to grow and innovate, with plans to launch a new ship in 2019, specifically designed for the Australian and New Zealand market.
However, P&O Cruises Australia also faced challenges, such as the controversy during the COVID-19 pandemic when the Pacific Explorer was ordered to leave Australian waters by the New South Wales Police Force. In 2024, it was announced that P&O Cruises Australia would be absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line, and its Australian operations ceased in March 2025, bringing to a close a significant chapter in the country's cruise industry.
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Cruise destinations
P&O Cruises Australia has been operating for over 90 years, pioneering new destinations in Australia, the Pacific, and Asia. The company has three ships in its fleet, sailing from various ports in Australia and New Zealand.
The cruise line offers a range of itineraries, including trips to some of the most beautiful and exotic holiday destinations on the planet. Cruises depart from major cities such as Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Fremantle, Cairns, and Auckland. From these ports, P&O Cruises Australia sets sail for incredible destinations throughout the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
In recent years, P&O Cruises Australia has expanded its destinations to include Papua New Guinea, as reported in the New York Times' list of 52 top destinations for 2015. The company has also ventured into new markets, with the addition of Pacific Aria and Pacific Eden to its fleet in 2015, and the introduction of the Pacific Explorer in 2017.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, P&O Cruises Australia faced a controversy with the New South Wales Police Force, which ordered the Pacific Explorer to leave Australian waters due to concerns about potential outbreaks on cruise ships. Despite this setback, P&O Cruises Australia continued to operate and serve its customers.
In 2024, it was announced that P&O Cruises Australia would be absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line, with the transition completed by March 2025. As a result, the Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter were rebranded as Carnival ships, while the Pacific Explorer exited the fleet. This marked the end of P&O's Australian operations, but the beginning of a new chapter for the cruise line, as it joined forces with Carnival to continue offering memorable cruise experiences to its guests.
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Frequently asked questions
P&O Cruises Australia had three ships in its fleet as of 2020. However, in 2025, P&O Cruises Australia was absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line, ending its Australian operations.
The three ships in the P&O Australia fleet were the Pacific Adventure, Pacific Encounter, and Pacific Explorer.
P&O Cruises Australia began operations in 1932 with its first ship, the Strathaird.
In June 2024, it was announced that P&O Cruises Australia would be absorbed into Carnival Cruise Line, effective March 2025.
No, P&O Cruises Australia did not receive any new ships after its inception. All of its vessels were transferred from other companies.
